Suu Kyi, who took power in April 2016 as part of a transition from military rule, has denied ethnic cleansing in the Muslim-majority northern Arakan State.

Attacks on Burmese border guard posts in October last year by a previously unknown insurgent group ignited the biggest crisis so far for Suu Kyi, with more than 75,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh in the ensuing army crackdown.